College bulletin: 9 June
This week’s Bulletin includes a link to the latest episode of Souvient, the Cambridge podcast from St John’s, and this time we hear from Lisa Anson, a risk-taking alumna and former UK president of AstraZeneca. She talks about taking risks and how conversations in the pub may never be the same again in the post-pandemic world.
A photographer will be out and about in College over the next few weeks capturing day-to-day life and some of the many end-of-term events coming up. If, like me, you are tied into a lucrative but restrictive contract with Gucci which prohibits you being featured in rival imagery, please let him or one of the accompanying reps from Comms know when you spot him.
College news
College gets Platinum sustainability award for third year in a row
St John’s has been awarded the highest accreditation in the University of Cambridge Green Impact scheme for the third time.
The annual programme supports and encourages departments and Colleges across the University to act collectively to reduce their environmental impact and to implement different sustainable policies that lead to positive change.
The Platinum Colleges accolade awarded to St John’s is the highest in Green Impact, an award-winning United Nations programme designed by the National Union of Students.
The risk taker who jumped from Big Pharma – and never looked back
A willingness to take risks, resilience and a “can-do attitude” are the keys to success for the Johnian woman who became UK president of pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca – then walked away to rescue a struggling biotech start-up.
In the latest episode of the new St John’s podcast Souvient, Lisa Anson explains the thrill of working for Redx Pharma, a small cancer drugs developer she joined after it went into administration and has rapidly turned around. “I love the decision making speed and the freedom and agility in a small company: we live and die by our results,” she tells College Master Heather Hancock. “And it's really exciting. In order to do that, I am relying on skills and judgments I've honed in multiple different situations.”
Full story and link to podcast
How you can help the College save costs and carbon emissions
An initiative is being launched today to improve the College’s energy efficiency.
The College will spend £0.75million this year on gas alone. Alison Cox, Domestic Bursar, said: “We’re committed to keeping College a comfortable environment in which to live and work – but we’re operating old systems in old buildings and we can definitely improve our energy efficiency. We’d like to take advantage of the current warm weather- when all our heating systems should automatically turn off – to find out where the College has broken valves or other problems that can easily be fixed. So, if you are in a room over the next few days and find the radiator is on, please let the Maintenance team know.”
Please inform Maintenance using TabsFM (Work type = Plumbing, Job description = 'heating not working') or email maintenance.
Thanks for your help to keep College costs and carbon emissions down.
Fellow’s book translated into Arabic
A book by cultural historian Professor Ulinka Rublack, a Fellow of St John’s, has been published in Arabic.
The new translation of The Astronomer and the Witch: Johannes Kepler’s Fight for his Mother was launched by the Kalima Translation Project at Abu Dhabi Book Fair with a panel discussion chaired by an Emirati poetess.
The book by Professor Rublack, who is Professor of Early Modern European History, was first published by Oxford University Press in 2015 and tells the story of how the famous astronomer Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) and his family responded to the accusation that their mother Katharina was a witch.
Committee for the 2024 May Ball
Are you interested in joining the May Ball Committee next year? This is a great opportunity to be part of a small business that pulls off a huge event. There are roles for the creative as well as the practically minded, and you are rewarded through free tickets and swaps with other balls.
This year the Committee is starting the process early and offering drop-in slots for people who are interested in learning more in the lead up to May Ball. Please email functions@mayball.org if you’re interested in getting involved.
Chapel
Student Communion – Sunday 11 June, 8.30am
Gather in the small chapel in the Ante-Chapel for a half-hour service of Holy Communion (aka the Eucharist) with sermon, and then go to Hall for cooked breakfast (which is subsidised). This appeals to a real cross-section of the student community.
Organ recital – Sunday 11 June, 6pm
Dewi Rees, of Westminster Abbey, will be performing works by Duruflé.
Open to all, admission free.
Sunday Evensong with Sermon – Sunday 11 June, 6.30pm
This term’s sermon series – ‘The Disappeared: attending to the unseen’ – has been inspired by the piece of music that the Choir will sing on 2 July, one of James MacMillan’s Cantos Sagrados. In these MacMillan is responding to the horrors of political oppression in Latin America, especially ‘The Disappeared’ in Argentina. This evening The Rt. Hon. The Baroness Brinton, Former President and Acting Leader of the Liberal Democrats, will be preaching.
For all other regular services, see the Chapel webpage. Follow the Facebook page, SJC Chaplain, for Chapel service updates; and Andrew is on TikTok @thedetoxpriest. The Chapel team is always keen to hear from more volunteers to read in services or assist in other ways: please contact Andrew.
Other events
Student Art and Photography Exhibition 2023 – runs until Thursday 15 June
Library Exhibition Area.
View entries in this year’s St John’s College Student Art and Photography Competition.
Urinetown, The Musical – Friday 9 June and Saturday 10 June, 7.45pm
ADC Theatre.
Dr Matt Lampitt, College Research Fellow in MMLL and ASNC, will be playing the lead role of Bobby Strong in Urinetown, The Musical, presented by Festival Players, Cambridge.
Urinetown is a political satire set in a not-so-distant future where a 20-year drought has crippled a city’s water supplies, leading to a ban on private toilets in an effort to control water consumption. Urinetown is a hilarious tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution in a time when water is worth its weight in gold.
Open to all, recommended for ages 12 and above. Buy tickets
Cuppers Quarter Final – Saturday 10 June, 4pm
St John’s playing fields.
St John’s Cricket Club are taking on Trinity in the Cuppers Quarter Final, with a nail-biting one run win over Robinson in the last game, it is sure to be very exciting!
Open to all, admission free, no booking required.
Pub quiz – Monday 12 June, 8.30pm
College Bar.
Open to all, admission free. Follow the St John’s College Catering Instagram page for updates.
Live lunchtime meditation – Tuesdays to Thursdays, 1pm-1.15pm
Via Teams.
Spend 15 mindful minutes relaxing or meditating with the University’s mindfulness practitioner, Dr Elizabeth English, in these weekday sessions, free to students and staff.
Full details and Mindfulness programme
Palaeography for beginners – Tuesday 13 June, 3pm
Zoom.
Weekly ‘have-a-go’ sessions for anyone interested in reading handwriting c1500-c1700, using documents from the College’s institutional archives. Sessions are informal and aimed at beginners, or those with a little experience who wish to practise their skills. Meetings are held online, using photographs of the documents that will be emailed out in advance along with the Zoom link.
Open to all, attendance free. If you would like to join in, please contact the archivist, Dr Lynsey Darby.
St John’s Book Group for postgraduates, English Faculty and College staff – Tuesday 13 June, 5.45pm
Merton Hall Cottage.
Postgraduates, English Faculty and College staff are invited to join Vona Groarke, St John’s Writer-in-Residence, to discuss Denis Johnson's short 2002 novel, Train Dreams, set in the American West. The book was described as, ‘a small masterpiece’ by Anthony Doerr in the New York Times, while the Guardian says of Johnson: “In Train Dreams he stakes his claim as one of the key voices in contemporary American fiction. It is a miniature novel that delineates an epic yet ordinary life in passages of often startling descriptive power.”
If you are interested in joining this or the book group for undergraduates, email Vona.
May Bumps – Wednesday 14 June, 1pm – Saturday 17 June, 4pm
Lady Margaret Boat Club will be taking to the river for May Bumps, the biggest week of boat racing of the year. St John’s has three women’s boats, W1, W2 and W3, competing this year and four men’s boats, M1, M2, M3 and the Men’s rugby’red boys’ boat, M4. So grab all the red clothing you own and head down the towpath to support your friends from the river bank.
The best place to watch is just down from The Plough in Fen Ditton. All are welcome.
Johnian Entrepreneurs Club coffee and chat – Wednesday 14 June, 2pm
College Café.
Meeting weekly, the Johnian Entrepreneurs Club is for College members who are interested in business or entrepreneurship. This could be people who are wanting to start their own business of any kind or network with those who already have startups etc.
The club will have some speakers this term and aims to help people get started on their entrepreneurial journey. There is a WhatsApp group for those who would like to get involved.
Open to all College members. Admission free, no booking required.
Tour of the College gardens – Wednesday 14 June, 2pm
Meet in front of the President’s Border, at the front of College, beside the Great Gate.
With a focus on sustainability, David Austrin, Head Gardener, will give a tour of the beautiful and varied grounds of St John’s.
Open to College postgraduate students, Fellows, Visiting Fellows and their guests as part of this term’s Sans Frontières events programme. Free event.
All places now filled.
Upper Library opening – Wednesday 14 June, 2-4pm
Enter via E staircase, Second Court.
Open every Wednesday afternoon during term time, manuscripts and rare printed books from the collections are on display in the 17th-century Upper Library. Requests for material to be exhibited can be emailed to Special Collections and they will do their best to accommodate these over the course of the term.
Open to College members and their guests. Admission free, no booking required.
Women’s tennis sessions – Thursday 15 June, 11am
St John’s tennis courts, behind the College playing fields.
Hour-long sessions for women of all ages and abilities with some experience of the sport, this should be a fantastic break from revision to get some fresh air and play some tennis.
There is no need to come with a partner, racquet or tennis balls. Email Emilia Murray if you’re interested in joining or if you need a racquet.
Open to all St John’s female members. Free, no booking required.
St John's College Music Society (SJCMS) lunchtime recital – Thursday 15 June, 1.15pm
New Music Room.
Josephine Cowley and Patrick Pan, piano duo.
Open to all, admission free, no booking required.
Garden party and formal dinner – Thursday 15 June, 5.30pm (party) and 7.30pm dinner)
Fellows’ Garden and Hall.
Hosted jointly by the Dobson Society (Education) and the Purchas Society (Geography and Land Economy), with bubbles and party games the theme is ‘Wear your Favourite Hat’. If it is raining the garden party will be relocated to the Fisher Foyer.
Open to Dobson Society and Purchas Society students, Fellows and their guests. Register to attend. Purchase formal dinner tickets via Upay.
Email Rosanna for further information.
The Eagles and Flamingos garden party – Friday 16 June, 4pm - 6.30pm
Master’s Lodge garden.
The Eagles' and Flamingos' Clubs warmly invite you to their annual garden party for the final celebration of sport at St John's this year. Join fellow Blues, your College sports teams, and sport lovers for an afternoon of Pimms or lemonade/elderflower.
Open to all St John’s students. Places are limited with tickets allocated on a first come. Purchase tickets
Email Ben for further information.
Superhall: Lazy hazy crazy days of summer – Friday 16 June, 7pm
Hall.
Doors open at 7pm for drinks, dinner at 7.30pm.
Open to College students, maximum two guests per person. Tickets £21.90 for students,
£26.25 for guests. Register via Upay.
Buttery Summer BBQ Lunch – Saturday 17 June, 11.30am-2pm
Buttery patio.
Instead of brunch, entry via Third Court. Maximum two guests per person.
Open to all College members, no booking required.
Walk to the Adams tombstone – Monday 19 June, 2pm
Meet at the New Court Cloisters.
College Fellow Prof Nicholas Manton, Professor of Mathematical Physics, will lead a walk to the tombstone of alumnus John Couch Adams, a distinguished mathematician who predicted the existence of Neptune. Organised by The Adams Society.
Open to all, admission free, no booking required.
St John’s College May Concert 2023 – Monday 19 June, 8pm
College Chapel.
With contributions from the College Choir, St John’s Voices, Aquila and a number of wonderful solo instrumentalists from the College. The concert will be followed by drinks and nibbles in Chapel Court, all finishing in time for those who want to watch the Trinity fireworks from the Paddock.
Open to College members, admission free. Limited places, applications close on Monday 12 June.
St John’s College May Ball 2023 – Tuesday 20 June
The College’s spectacular annual May Ball will span the length and breadth of the historic courts of St John’s. This lavish event features live music, all-you-can-eat food and drink and a world-class fireworks display, with the theme famously kept secret until the night itself.
The Ball is now sold-out.
Andrew Chamblin Memorial Concert 2023 – Thursday 22 June, 8pm
Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford and online.
The 17th annual Andrew Chamblin Memorial Concert will be given by Thierry Escaich, who will play an hour-long programme of organ works by Bach, Franck, Vierne, Brahms and Widor. The performance will also be livestreamed.
Open to all, admission free, no booking required.
Bin end wine sale: magnums and mixed cases – Friday 23 June, from 2pm
College Bar.
List of wines to be confirmed.
Open to all College members.
And finally
College staff enjoyed free ice-creams in Chapel Court this week courtesy of the Staff Social Committee.
Top flavour of the day, according to ice-cream vendor Nick of Carlo’s ice-cream cart, was pistachio and look how happy the treats made the team from the Master and President’s Office.
